


Of Flames and Wolves - The One-Shot Collection

by singergurl91



Series: Of Flames and Wolves [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Makeout Session, Mistletoe, Original Character(s), Winter Solstice, sfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 20:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13174605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/singergurl91/pseuds/singergurl91
Summary: Just a place to store some Vetra Ulric x Ignis Scientia one-shots that are either going to end up in my main planned fic for them or stuff that's just gonna hang out here.





	Of Flames and Wolves - The One-Shot Collection

**Author's Note:**

> This one is probably going to end up in the main story due to the pivotal nature of this spot in Ignis and Vetra's relationship. I wrote it from a simple prompt regarding ideas of what Ignis would do if confronted with mistletoe and a long-term crush so I ended up deciding to debut my OC of Vetra in this fic. Cross-posted from my tumblr under the same username.

**December 21, M.E. 755**

 

“Ignis, don’t you  _dare_ ,” Vetra fumed into the receiver.

“You’re too late. It’s already been done,” a dulcet baritone voice crackled lightly on the other end of the phone call, a hint of laughter behind the statement. “And I am already on my way over to drop it off for you.”

Vetra rolled her eyes and considered throwing her phone across the room but quickly decided that it would be too much like throwing a childish temper tantrum. She settled instead for flopping on the bed and groaning into the microphone to voice her displeasure.

“You know I adore your friendship, but this is wholly unnecessary and far too much to give as a gift, Iggy. I’ll just wear my Zahra outfit inste-”

“Vetra, I was under the assumption you discarded ‘Zahra’ months ago.” She could just hear Ignis lift one of his thin eyebrows in question.

“‘Zahra’ as my persona is gone for good,” she responded, crossing her arms over her chest, phone resting beside her ear. “The dress, however, still fits perfectly fine and I see no reason to discard it just as easily as the name.”

She heard a small huff on the other end of the line before Ignis continued the conversation, “That is fair enough. But I see no reason for you to attend this ball as ‘Zahra’ when you’ve been invited as ‘Vetra’. Besides, consider this a Solstice gift twelve times over-”

“TWELVE TIMES OVER?” Vetra bolted upright, head reeling slightly from the speed at which she sat up. Forgetting she didn’t have the phone in her hand, she snatched it from the threadbare coverlet, speaking directly into the microphone, “IGNIS, HOW EXPENSIVE IS THIS THING?”

Placing the phone back to her ear, she waited. She heard only silence on the other end of the line, save for the quiet creak of a door opening and closing.

“Ignis…?” Vetra spoke quietly, a chastising note entering her voice.

Finally, a sigh. “Vetra, it’s a royal ball. It would be remiss of us both if you did not have something suitable to wear. And your ‘Zahra’ gown is far too plain and would make you stand out far too much. And not in a good way, mind you. Now open the door.” A quiet knock sounded at the door to the apartment she shared with her cousin, Nyx.

“Uuuugggghhhh,” she groaned directly into the phone before hanging up. Bouncing up from the bed, she heard Ignis’ delicate chuckle from behind the thin walls of the apartment before opening the door wide for him.

And, of course, he looked as prim and proper as usual. A black work suit and jacket impeccably pressed, tan sweater with an oversized turtleneck, shoes shined to a glossy luster, not a hair out of place in his, in Vetra’s opinion, ridiculous hairstyle, and looking completely out of place in a Galahdian sector tenement building. Whereas in Vetra’s case, she had already spent the majority of the day lounging about in a pair of sweatpants and an old ratty t-shirt from her high school days, glasses askew, lilac hair unkempt and sticking up at odd angles as short hair is wont to do.

With as much elegance as he used in all other visible aspects of his life, Ignis glided through the door and placed a garment bag over the back of Nyx’s favorite chair before turning back to Vetra and giving her a gentle hug. Taken slightly aback, Vetra hesitated a moment before returning the hug, burying her face in his chest, his chin resting perfectly on the crown of her head. He smelled like citrus and cedar and something else that Vetra couldn’t determine at the moment. Probably whatever he cooked Noctis for lunch today, she thought before smirking and squeezing tighter around Ignis’ waist, purposefully rumpling his now-formerly perfect clothes. And also taking a moment to pull the apartment door closed.

“You just had to ruin the moment, didn’t you?” Ignis let out a long-suffering sigh into her hair, but not yet relinquishing her from his embrace, wanting the moment (however ruined) to last as long as possible.

“Yep. Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Releasing him from her half of the hug, she grinned up at him cheekily.

A small shift of his lips told her all she needed to know. And if his ruffling of her hair was any indication, he wouldn’t have had that moment any other way either.

“So, how are we feeling about this evening?” he asked a slight twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Whether that excitement was in regards to the impending Royal Solstice Ball, or to the new and probably far more interesting dishevelment of Vetra’s hair, she was unsure.

In an overly dramatic and goofily dark tone of voice, Vetra sang, “ _Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror, I cannot li_ -”

“Vetra…” Ignis’ tone warned.

“Anxious as all hell Iggy,” Vetra responded, slightly chastised. “You know I don’t do well with all this high-toned and fancy to-do type of shit.”

“Language.”

“Sorry, high-toned and fancy to-do type of  _merde_.”

“Not better Vet.”

Vetra turned around, rolling her eyes to where Ignis couldn’t see them and muttered under her breath, “Gods, I need a drink.”

A gloved hand lurched forward and grasped her upper arm just above the elbow, the grip firm but gentle as Ignis turned Vetra to face him. “Please don’t say that. Not after what you went through last month.” His voice was softer than a whisper as if speaking any louder would scare Vetra out of his reach. A somber hush fell over the room; even the background noise of the television faded into oblivion.

She flushed in embarrassment and averted her eyes, a mumbled apology spilling from her lips. “Sorry. But you mean after what I put you through last month. You and everyone else.”

“Vet, this is not about me, so please don’t make it sound like I’m twisting it that way,” Ignis pleaded quietly. Using his free hand to grasp her chin, he forced her to look him in the eyes. “You’ve been doing so well lately; I thought you were making progress.”

Silence. Vetra didn’t want to look back into Ignis’ eyes, knowing that she would see his fear and disappointment she’d seen so many times before. But the beseeching tone of his voice convinced her to make eye contact. The pale green of his eyes did hold that sense of fear and disappointment she anticipated, but not the softness and reverence that spoke of something else. Something deeper that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Well, she could probably put her finger on the reason due to the accidental slip of his tongue back when she was in the hospital. But to be frank, she was taken aback by the vulnerability she saw in Ignis’ face in that moment. And it was disconcerting, to say the least.

Reaching up with her free hand, Vetra patted Ignis on the cheek. “You’re right. You always are. And I’ve been dry this whole time, so don’t you worry.”

Ignis frowned slightly, “I always worry about you.” Vetra opened her mouth to interrupt but he spoke faster. “And yes, I know, you’re ‘older and don’t need anyone to worry about you’. But that night was the second most devastating of my life and I would hate to see you falter after all your progress and the meetings.”

Vetra sighed and tilted her head. “I’m good, Iggy. Nyx has the key to the liquor cabinet on him at all times so unless I feel so inclined to learn how to pick a lock, which I don’t,” she added at Ignis’ pursed lips, “I’m not getting in there.”

“And the cigarettes?”

She let out a loud laugh, halfway between a bellow and a cackle, patted Ignis’ cheek once more and disentangled herself from his grasp. “One step at a time. Solheim wasn’t built in a day.” Ignis frowned at her again, this time crossing his arms, hip jutting out just slightly. “But yes, the smoking is happening much less frequently since last month. Happy?”

A small quirk of his lips told her all she needed to know, but he spoke anyway. “Satisfied. For the moment at least. Now,” his tone indicating a shift in the conversation, “for your attire for the evening.”

With an elegant sweep of his arms, he unzipped the garment bag. Vetra watched as yards of fabric spilled out over the floor and her jaw dropped as Ignis held it up for her appraisement.

Looking back and forth between this absolutely dazzling gown and Ignis’ coy, but slightly shit-eating grin, Vetra was at a complete loss for words…except maybe a few choice ones.

“No. Ignis, no fucking way.”

He rolled his eyes and sighed. “And pray tell, whyever not?”

“Are you _fucking_  kidding me? Ignis this is…” Vetra’s voice squeaked and gave out as the incredulity in her mind made itself known. She advanced slowly towards Ignis and the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen in her life. Vetra never lived in the lap of luxury, neither as a child nor during her teenage years in the slums of Insomnia. She was sure there were dresses she would see that would be far more extravagant than this later tonight, but the fact that Ignis had gone out of his way having it custom made for her for just a single night’s use? Vetra was never one to show her emotions outwardly but she nearly broke out into full heaving sobs as she reached out to touch the gauzy fabric of the skirt.

“Ignis, really, how much did this cost? I can’t accept this; I don’t deserve it and it’s too much-”

Ignis shook his head, “I’ll hear no more talk of you being ‘undeserving’, Vet. It was made for you and I would be honored if you would deem me worthy of the pleasure of seeing you in this gown.”

_Well shit, when he puts it like that_ , she thought. “Uugh, fine, you wore me down. You win. I’ll wear the damned dress.” She played up her reluctance a bit more than she needed to, given that she pretty much decided to give in the moment she touched the damn thing.

“Brilliant!” Ignis beamed at her. “There will be a driver coming for both you and Nyx at 6:30 PM sharp, so don’t make them wait!” Ignis gently thrust the gown into Vetra’s arms and snuck in a quick peck on the cheek before whirling towards the door and nearly barreling into a slightly surprised Nyx who had just walked into the tiny apartment.

“Afternoon, Scientia. Heading out already?” Nyx clapped the younger man on the shoulder, blue eyes affectionately glancing between the other two and then falling to the gown in Vetra’s arms. An eyebrow raised in both question and surprise; Vetra shook her head imperceptibly and Nyx nodded in response noting to ask questions later.

“Ulric,” Ignis inclined his head to the elder man. “Yes, I mustn’t stay any longer. I must ready myself and the Prince for the evening’s festivities. I just popped in to ensure Vetra received and will wear the gown prepared for tonight.” He gave Vetra with a look that was meant to ensure that his visit hadn’t been for nothing, and while she rolled her eyes at him, she gave him a genuine smile.

“Don’t worry; I’ll be wearing this dress tonight. You convinced me,” the laughter in her voice ringing out in the tiny apartment.

Ignis gave her a gentle smile. “Good. I shall see you both later.” Turning to Nyx, he gave the Glaive a quick nod and exited the apartment, a slight bounce in his step as the door closed behind him.

Nyx turned to his cousin, a cat-like grin on his face. “So…”

“Not another word, man,” Vetra warned.

“What? I can’t ask what that sweet kiss on the cheek was for?” Nyx nudged his way past Vetra, throwing his Glaive jacket over the back of his chair. “Bit of a surprise to see Scientia being that forward with you for once. Good man.”

“NYX!”

“What?” He threw up his arms in a defensive position. “Listen, a man doesn’t buy a woman a dress like that for no reason. Okay, yeah, the ball is a reason but that,” he pointed at the gauzy fabric draping Vetra’s tattooed arms, “that is beyond extravagant. Beyond just a ‘gift for a friend’.”

Vetra tilted her head, furrowing her brows at her cousin. “What do you know about women’s fashion, Nyx?” Looking around the apartment, there were no clean surfaces to lay or hang the dress off of, so she slid the dress back into the garment bag as Nyx responded.

“I know absolutely nothing about fashion but what I do know is that Ignis is head over heels for you, Vet.” She scoffed and rolled her eyes before Nyx reached out with a leg and gave her a quick love tap on the ass. “I’m serious. Yeah, he’s married to his job but you didn’t see him that first night. He broke down, Vetra;  _he was sobbing in front of me_!”

“I’m aware; he told me.” Vetra sighed, placing a hand on Nyx’s shoulder. “But he’s married to the job; even if he is ‘head over heels’ as much as you say he is, he’s never gonna act on it. We both know that.”

She gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before letting go, cutting Nyx off as he opened his mouth to speak again. “You need to iron your jacket and pants for tonight. I need to take a shower and get this,” she gestured to her entire self, “ready for the evening. And no laughing at me when the heels go on. I swear I’m gonna break an ankle tonight.”

Vetra gathered up her toiletries and the garment bag and made her way to the communal bathroom, ignoring Nyx’s mocking salute and another love tap from his foot as she walked out of the shared apartment.

_What a meddler; I swear I’m gonna throttle him one of these days_ …

* * *

Vetra gathered the skirt of her gown up to her knees, not wanting to risk dragging the chiffon on the dirty floor of the tenement building, nor on the streets of the Undercity. However, this brought on Nyx’s uncensored laughter the whole way up the stairs to the side of the road where their ride awaited them. She debated threatening to strangle her cousin as they reached the main city level and once again, decided against it due to the childish nature of such a threat. Apparently, in his eyes, she looked ‘goofy’ with her dress gently fisted in her hands about her knees, black heels clacking against the concrete, her long and furred winter coat made her look like a black-haired garula.

“Would it help if I carried you,  _princess_?” Nyx teased.

“Nyx, I swear to Ramuh…” she threatened, fisting her dress in her left hand, freeing her right hand to punch him in the shoulder.

Nyx winced as the pair of gold rings she wore actually connected with the bony part of his shoulder. “Damn, you mean business when you use that hand. Alright, I’ll stop…for now. No promises for the rest of the night though.” A cheeky grin plastered itself on his face as he opened the car door for Vetra. She rolled her eyes and slid in, doing her best to press out any wrinkles or creases in the soft fabric as Nyx slid into the passenger’s seat.

Looking up, she saw Libertus driving and Crowe next to her in the backseat. Immediately flushed, she attempted to curl into herself and hide as much as possible. But Crowe was far too quick. With a swift yank of Vetra’s coat, the dress she was desperately trying to hide from her oldest friends was revealed to them. Crowe let out a low wolf whistle and Libertus just stared mouth agape.

“Oh by Ramuh, it’s just a dress. Let’s go, Lib; chop chop,” Vetra pulled her coat closed again, feeling even more like a petulant child than before.

The drive wasn’t that long from the Undercity to the Citadel, but it felt like an eternity to Vetra. Every second under the scrutiny of Crowe looking her over in the backseat made her even more anxious than she already felt, her old crush on the female Glaive rearing its head with a force she hadn’t felt in months. Not since Ignis popped back up in her life.

The car, presumably one of the royal vehicles lent out for the Glaives to travel that evening, finally reached the main entrance to the Citadel, Libertus pulling up and allowing Vetra and the others out. Thankfully, a carpet graced the steps up to the Citadel, allowing her to not worry about dragging the hem and slight train of her dress along the ground. Vetra was doubly thankful that they all were early, considering the Glaives needed to be at their posts before the actual festivities started for the evening, so Vetra didn’t have to worry about the stares of the upper crust of Lucis boring into her as she ascended the stairs, one arm linked through Nyx’s for balance.

As they entered the Citadel, Vetra took in all the decorations for Solstice. Solstice was one of the few times that colors other than black and gold dominated the aesthetic of the royal residence. While black and gold were still fairly prominent, reds and blues and silvers joined them in the form of banners and drapery. Pine wreaths and boughs and trees dotted the entrance hall, leading the way to the largest ballroom in the palace.

Just outside, a multitude of butlers and maids flitted about the doors, finishing last-minute preparations in a flurry of movement. Nyx disentangled himself from Vetra’s now claw-like grip; her anxiety peaked with the knowledge that she would be left alone for the next quarter of an hour before the doors officially opened to the hoity-toity and pompous elite of Lucis. And a single Galahdian refugee.

Taking Vetra’s face in his hands, gently as to not mess up her makeup for the evening, Nyx leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Breathe, Vet. It’s only gonna be a few minutes and once you get in there Ignis and the other three will be there so you won’t be alone. Just be fearless ‘Zahra’ for a few minutes.”

“Excuse me, but would madam allow me to take her coat for the evening?” A timid maid interrupted the moment by tapping Vetra on the shoulder. And with that distraction, Nyx, and Crowe, along with a slightly panting Libertus who appeared to have run straight from the garage to the entrance hall as fast as he could, all slipped through the doors to the ballroom, leaving Vetra alone.

She nodded silently, hands slowly releasing her coat into the waiting arms of the maid. The young woman’s eyes bugged slightly at the very visible sleeve tattoos on Vetra’s arms; one geometric, the other in a watercolor style. Both depicted roses and Galahdian lilies, evidence of her heritage and obvious refugee status. No one native to Insomnia ever decorated their bodies the was Galahdian’s did, and if they ever did a form of body modification, it was far more subtle and hidden than the style Vetra and Nyx were used to.

“Madam will have to wait for the doors to open,” the maid murmured once she regained proper decorum. “But we hope you shall enjoy the evening’s festivities.” Before Vetra could thank the young woman, she disappeared into a hidden alcove, likely the place where coats and other coverings were being stored for the night.

Slowly, members of the Lucis elite trickled through the doors. The trickle soon became a steady influx of men and women, all obviously of a higher socio-economic rank than Vetra could ever imagine herself to be. Whispers and stares occurred every so often, but far less so than Vetra had originally assumed. In fact, most outright ignored the tattooed, pierced, and lilac-haired woman closest to the entry doors to the ballroom. And honestly, Vetra was eternally grateful.

Time passed and finally, enormous doors creaked open and the visages of King Regis Lucis Caelum and his son, Prince Noctis appeared beyond. After a few words of welcome that Vetra could not be pressed to remember even if she tried, the Royals welcomed their guests and everyone that had already arrived quickly filtered into the room. More banners of gold and silver, red and blue covered the walls; more pine trees decorated in gold and silver stood between each window as a soft down of snow started falling outside the building. Music flowed through the room like liquid silk and Vetra recognized one of her instrumental pieces that had been adapted for a string ensemble to perform.

Vetra wasn’t allowed to gape for long as the other attendees of the ball poured through the doors and she scurried towards one of the windows in an attempt to stay out of the center of attention in the room.

However, there was one pair of eyes that were glued to her from all the way across the room. A pair of soft seafoam eyes that could look nowhere else but her.

Ignis could barely breathe, he was so stunned. Firstly, in all the time he’d spent with Vetra, she’d never worn a dress in his presence. She was always far more comfortable in casual or work casual styles of clothing, and items that were…far less than casual, but only in the context of her second job. Secondly, the gown he’d had tailored specifically for her fit her like a glove. Black was the color reserved for the royal family and their retainers and Vetra was outspoken amongst the civilian Crownsguard for her devotion to color and lots of it - her hair color and tattoos the most obvious means of that form of expression.

But the dress, the dress was mainly black chiffon that melded into a gradient ombre of shades of blue as the fabric reached the floor in an A-line style. The right single shoulder was covered in both black chiffon and a crystalline pattern of starbursts that was mirrored on the left hip of the dress. Ignis was immensely glad Vetra decided to forego any form of coverage of her arms as he assumed she would. He had planned, (and hoped) the right arm with the geometric pattern would be complemented by the shoulder strap, while the left arm with the flowing and watercolor style was left free and sinuous. It was surprising, even to him, how much he enjoyed just tracing the lines and colors on her arms with his eyes, both up close and at a distance.

“Hey Iggy, it’s not polite to stare,” a soft voice intoned on his right, startling Ignis out of his reverie. Noctis had sidled up to his adviser, eyes following his line of sight. “That the dress you chose for her?” Ignis nodded gently in response, still struck dumb. “Tasteful, but also…very her,” he murmured in appreciation. A sharp elbow to the ribs jolted Ignis as Noct finally lifted his chin towards Vetra. “Go spend the night with her. I’ll be fine with the other guys. She’s your date anyways.”

“It’s not a date…” Ignis started to protest before Noctis walked off, waving a hand in dismissal. Looking up, Ignis saw Vetra catch Noct’s eye and she gave a soft smile and a wave in the prince’s direction. Inhaling deeply, Ignis screwed up his courage and strode towards Vetra as quickly as he could through the dancing crowd.

As soon as she’d severed eye contact with Noctis, Vetra saw Ignis’ lithe form stride towards her, long legs covering the distance quickly until it seemed he was right in front of her in record time. She quirked her lips up into a small smile before commenting, “Love the hair. Are you copying me now?”

Ignis’ usual style of cockatiel spiky hair had been smoothed back into the pompadour style that Vetra herself favored, both of them matching, especially when she noted the dark cerulean tie he wore. Tugging on it lightly, Vetra teased, “Okay so the matching was on purpose, wasn’t it?”

Ignis flushed and attempted to steer the conversation in another direction, while also taking Vetra by the arm, noting her two golden rings and the hemp bracelet she constantly wore, memories of the day he gave her that bracelet flashing through his mind. “You look absolutely radiant tonight, Vet. And I am immensely pleased the gown suits you as well as it does.” He could feel the tips of his ears burning and tried to calm himself.

“Thank you, Iggy,” Vetra murmured as she leaned into his side. “I know I was reluctant but you…you really do have good taste.” A finger dug into his side because Vetra couldn’t help but annoy him. “You still never told me how much this thing cost you.”

“And with any semblance of luck, I will never have to,” Ignis muttered, hip checking Vetra slightly as they walked around the room aimlessly. A new song started playing and Ignis inclined his head. “May I have this dance?”

Vetra smiled and nodded, allowing Ignis to whisk her onto the dance floor, only stumbling once in her heels and he was luckily graceful enough for the both of them to mask her stumbling steps. He pulled one hand up to his shoulder, the other resting gently in his as they glided into a slow waltz. After a few turns, Ignis and Vetra both spied Nyx guarding a nearby alcove. With a goofy smile and an awkward two thumbs up from her cousin, Vetra started to shift her hand on Ignis’ shoulder and before she could move any further, his hand that was on her waist pressed her hand flat against his shoulder again.

“No flipping off your cousin in the middle of a crowded ballroom,” Ignis chided. “Someone else could see it and think it was directed at them and cause a whole disturbance and ruin the evening.”

She scrunched up her face into a pout but sighed, knowing that Ignis was right. “Okay, but can I at least flip him the bird if-slash-when we get closer to him?”

“Perhaps,” was all Ignis said, placing his hand back on her waist and leading Vetra into another waltz.

Dance after dance after dance Ignis and Vetra spent in each other’s arms, conversing and joking, lost in their own world of just two bodies moving in time to the ever-present and fluid strings in the background.

Of course, Vetra’s luck had to run out at some point and her heel slipped out from under her one too many times and tweaked her ankle. Wincing in pain, she looked up at Ignis. “Mind if we take a break for a minute? These damned heels will be the death of me. Or at least of my ankles.”

Ignis nodded and guided her towards the alcove where Nyx was posted, letting her lean on him a little more than was actually necessary, his body not wanting to disconnect and lose that contact with her. But for her sake, he helped her into a small wrought iron garden chair. Moving to kneel in front of her, intending to check her ankle to see if it was seriously injured, Vetra stopped him.

“It’s okay, Iggy; I just need a moment off my feet for now,” she smiled placing a hand on his forearm. “I appreciate the sentiment though. Pull up a chair and have a seat too; I’m sure you’ve been up and about almost all day today.”

“Of course.” Ignis flushed an even deeper shade of red, his blush now moving south down his neck and shoulders. He slid into a chair next to Vetra and he followed her line of sight to see Prince Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto all huddled in a corner on the opposite end of the ballroom. Apparently, Prom was showing off something on the new camera he’d received for his birthday just a few months earlier.

“I’m surprised that Noct hasn’t disappeared already,” Vetra commented. “He usually seems the type to escape public affairs just as much as I do, honestly.”

Ignis nodded in agreement. “It must be the fact that Prompto was able to come to the party. It’s nice to see him enjoying himself for once.”

Vetra hummed and leaned into Ignis, his arm coming around to rest against her waist, fingers toying at the crystal beading on her hip. Time passed, both refugee and adviser taking in the sights of whirling skirts and colors, snow still slowly falling outside the Citadel. Music still flowed easily and Vetra hummed along with the pieces she recognized, feet slowly recovering from their earlier abuse. She knew she probably shouldn’t dance anymore over the evening, but her feet were going to murder her the next day anyway so she might as well enjoy every moment she could with Ignis.

“Ready to dance again?” she asked, standing up and testing her feet. Twinging in pain, but nothing she couldn’t handle.

“Are you alright to continue?” he asked.

Letting out a small and quiet snort of laughter, Vetra responded in the best imitation of Ignis’ accent she could muster. “None the worse for wear, love.”

Ignis rolled his eyes, tenderly taking her hands in his. “Ha, ha, very funny.” Not paying attention to where he was walking, Ignis accidentally bumped into Nyx (whom Vetra noticed was slightly out of where he was supposed to be stationed) and with a less than subtle jerk of his chin, both Vetra and Ignis looked up to see a sprig of green leaves and white berries tied together with a red ribbon hanging directly above their heads.

“Hmm, mistletoe,” Nyx stated as if he had no clue it was there. “Wonder how that got there.” And with a quick turn on his heel, he ambled back to his regular post, purposefully not looking in their direction at all.

“Oh Ramuh, I’m gonna strangle that man someday, I swear,” Vetra muttered. Expecting a laugh and some form of censure by Ignis, she was surprised by his silence. Looking up, soft green eyes leveled her with his penetrating gaze, a sense of resolution settling over him.

“May I?” he whispered.

Vetra’s breath caught in her throat, eyes searching Ignis’ face for any sign of unwillingness. All she could see was an interesting mix of steely resolve and utter anxiety. When Vetra nodded once, Ignis let out a small cough into his hand and began his descent, face, and lips moving in to kiss her on the cheek. Letting out a slightly disappointed sigh, Vetra closed her eyes, resigning herself to yet another one of Ignis’ deflections regarding the feelings he so plainly laid out to her a month earlier.

Moments passed, then seconds, and still, Ignis had yet to kiss her cheek. Eyes still closed, she could sense him just centimeters away from her, could feel the soft warmth of his breath caressing the side of her face. “Ignis?” she whispered.

“Oh,  _bloody hell_ ,” was all she heard before she felt a soft shifting of movement in front of her and plush lips crushed against hers with fervent caresses, gloved hands cupping her face so she couldn’t move away, not that she wanted to move in the first place anyways.

The intensity of the kiss nearly knocked Vetra on her ass, for lack of a better phrase. While pure and chaste, there was a passion behind it that felt like the burning of a thousand suns. Or perhaps more accurately, nearly twelve years of longing. There was a desperation, a craving that had yet to be fulfilled behind every press of his lips against hers. And perhaps, a thirst that once he received a taste, it could never fully be slaked.

Before Vetra could even get a chance to regain her bearings and kiss him back in turn, Ignis pulled away, her eyes opening to see flushed cheeks and lips beginning to swell slightly from the increase in blood flow. He exhaled slightly as if he had been holding his breath far longer than the short amount of time the kiss had taken. Eyes fluttered open as he sheepishly looked at Vetra, still hiding under slightly hooded eyelids. But even then, she could see his pupils blown wide and the once soft jade eyes darkened with what Vetra could only assume was lust.

A slight cough from Ignis drew her from her reverie. “Speechless already? Eos to Vetra? Can you hear me, love?”

And that’s when the babbling started.

“I don’t…you…we…the mistle-…a kiss… _merde-scheiße_ …Ignis…wha-…wait, did you call me ‘ _love_ ’?” Vetra spluttered quietly, words getting mixed up in her head and wanting to curse in all the languages she knew but knowing that if she made a scene it would not look good for Ignis. Unable to think properly, she hid her face against Ignis’ suitcoat, shuddering slightly as his arms came to wrap up around her. “ _What the fuck was that_?” she mumbled into his chest.

She felt the vibrations before she heard the laughter bubbling up out of Ignis’ throat. And what was normally a quiet chuckle of amusement burst out into a full-fledged belly laugh from the usually reserved adviser, deep and unrestrained and absolutely music to her ears. Sneaking a look at the crowd around them, Vetra saw many people, mostly members of the Crownsguard staring at Ignis incredulously. Apparently, he didn’t laugh like this often enough.

“What are you laughing for, you ass?” Vetra poked him in the side where she knew he was most sensitive.

Instinctually jerking away from her fingers at his side, Ignis had the gall to wipe away actual tears from his eyes before answering between labored breaths. “If I had known I could shock you into silence like this, or cause you to speak in tongues from a single kiss, I’d have done it sooner.”

Vetra narrowed her eyes and clawed a hand into his lapel, dragging Ignis away from the mistletoe laden area of the ballroom and into a corner, just outside the main room. He stumbled slightly behind her but regained his balance quickly before she spun him into the wall, holding him against it with a single manicured hand. “So,” she drawled, “how long have you wanted to do that? And be honest.”

Ignis’ laughter had all but disappeared from his voice, but his eyes still sparkled with mirth. “Oh for years, Vet. To be quite frank, ever since the first day we met, when I was spying on you from this very same hallway, listening to you play that piano like your life depended on it.”

Vetra tried to hide the flush that rose in her cheeks, eyes flitting to the woven hemp bracelet on her right wrist as she took one step towards him. “Why didn’t you do it sooner?”

“Because it was not the right time; nor did I have a good reason to do so.”

“And how did you find my reaction?” She took another step, closing the distance between them even more.

“Utterly endearing,” a cheshire grin spreading across his face, but his chest starting to heave slightly in anticipation.

“ _Endearing_ , hmm? I wonder if ‘endearing’ is the word you’ll use in the future…” With her heels on, she and Ignis were nearly eye to eye, nose to nose, lips to lips, and almost equals in their presence. Vetra, however, was slightly more…aggressive in her approach than Ignis as her lips crashed into his, tongue already pressing for entrance to his mouth. And without any fuss, he allowed entrance and deepened the kiss further.

While Vetra’s hands imitated Ignis’ from the previous kiss and captured his face between them, Ignis’ hands dropped to her waist, fingers clenching against the bodice of the gown, and she could almost feel his nails biting into her skin. She was probably imagining most of that though. Vetra’s hands slid up across his cheekbones and curled into his hair, the strands unusually soft considering the nearly pristine pompadour he sported for the evening making it appear to be perfectly sculpted. And because he was far too distracted with her body pinning his against the wall, Vetra took the rare opportunity to card her fingers through his hair and muss it up as much as she possibly could.

Ignis let out a small laugh into the kiss, knowing exactly what she was attempting to do before the laugh turned into a soft moan as Vetra sucked lightly on his tongue.  _Weak spot found,_  she thought to herself before she disengaged from the kiss, watching as Ignis’ lips instinctively tried to follow her. She smirked at her handiwork but also realized that she had created a monster; Ignis’ hair was still mostly kept intact except for a few soft strands that had fallen into his eyes, changing the planes of his face and making him look younger, softer, and more like the twenty-two-year-old man he was.

_In attempting to fluster him, I appear to have created a weak spot for myself, damn it_ … she thought. In an attempt to still appear to be in control, she simpered at him coyly, “So, was that ‘endearing’ as well, or do we have to try again?”

“That,” Ignis breathed, eyes opening once more to pierce into Vetra’s own soul to the core, “was far from endearing.” With a barely-there smirk, he spun the both of them around, now pinning Vetra to the corner wall. With a whisper right in her ear, he continued, “That, my dearest Vetra, was sublime. And I am always willing to try again with you, love.”

Joy and elation flooded Vetra’s veins, her heart thumping in her ears. After months and months of mutual pining that neither of them seemed to realize until just a few weeks ago, Ignis was finally able to accept those feelings he had accidentally confessed, and Vetra had to fight off tears of happiness that pricked at the corners of her eyes. In an attempt to hide her face once more, she wrapped her arms around Ignis’ shoulders, face buried in his neck and fingers toying at the hairs at the base of his neck, while his own fingers trailed up and down her tattooed arms.

A memory from earlier in the day struck her. “Ignis?” He hummed in response, nose still in her hair. “You said the night at the hospital was the ‘second most somber night of your life’. May I ask what the first was?”

Ignis stepped back a little, just to take in her expression; she was curious but honest and open. And frankly, he needed to tell her. Shoulders lifting and falling with a heavy sigh, he exhaled sharply. “The worst night of my life? That was the night when I heard Galahd fell. And that all her political leaders and those affiliated were assassinated. I believed you to be dead for nearly twelve years.” His thumb rubbed against the hemp bracelet, barely even able to remember the length of time it took him to finish this attempt to perfection. But he remembered her reaction to the gift and the memory made him flush a deep shade of crimson.

“I am eternally grateful that the Six brought you back into my life, Vetra Ulric,” he murmured just before pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.

“Say it again, Ignis,” Vetra murmured into his chest. “What you said at the hospital that night.”

“I said a lot of things that night, dear. Jog my memory?”

Vetra moved her face so she could stare directly at Ignis so he could see her rolling her eyes. “The part that I didn’t press you on. The slip.”

Ignis took a moment, tapping his index finger on his chin as if deep in thought. And with an overly theatrical snap of his fingers, he pretended to have a revelation. “Oh yes, I remember now!”

He took Vetra’s hands in his, thumb rubbing against the matching rings on her right middle and ring fingers, memories of a younger Vetra and her parents flashing through his mind. With a smile and a soft kiss on her knuckles, Ignis looked right into Vetra’s storm-blue eyes and repeated the words she so desperately wanted to hear.

And the words he so desperately needed to say.

“I love you, Vetra Ulric. I have loved you since we were children, and have not loved another since I met you. And while my duty is to Noctis and the crown, you will always reside within my heart, and I pray to the Six that I hold a place in yours as well.”

Tears had started flowing freely the moment Ignis’ first words had left his lips, and frankly, Vetra didn’t care if she ended up messing up her makeup for the evening. This, this, was far more important to her than any other stupid political shindig could ever be or public performance. With a choked half laugh half sob, she threw her arms around Ignis’ shoulders and let the high of emotions take her on a ride.

Finally, finally, she and Ignis could move forward and stop this stupid and awkward dance they had been following for the last half year. And in a choked whisper, she pressed her lips to the shell of Ignis’ ear and repeated those three little but oh-so-powerful words right back to him.

With each press of her lips against his ear, Ignis’ arms wrapped even more tightly around her. He never wanted to let Vetra go, not when they had found each other once again after all this time, and now especially that the Six had answered his long begged prayers that she could feel the same affections for him as he did for her.

Once they both regained their composure, Ignis pulled off one of his white gloves to help fix Vetra’s soiled eye makeup and she in turn, tried to remove any stray lipstick markings on his face. A moment of silence staring deep into each other’s eyes, and then they both burst into a fit of giggles before mutually agreeing to return to the main ballroom.

Nyx hovered near the edge of one of the doors and threw Vetra and Ignis a quick thumbs up and a wink their way. Looking back at each other, they smirked, turned around in unison, and both flipped off the poor ‘Hero’ of the Glaive in tandem. After having a good laugh at the expense of Vetra’s dearest cousin, they walked onto the dance floor and joined the multitude of couples already swarming the floor, losing themselves to the music and dance, and best of all, to each other.


End file.
